Obituary: Gordon Blackert

Thursday

Nov 8, 2012 at 1:59 PMNov 8, 2012 at 2:00 PM

Gordon F. Blackert, 86, of Geneseo, died Friday, Nov. 2, 2012, at Hammond-Henry Hospital, Geneseo. Funeral services celebrating his life were held Monday, Nov. 5 at Zion United Methodist Church, Hooppole. The Rev. Terry Lancaster officiated. Burial was in Hooppole Cemetery where military honors were accorded by the Hooppole American Legion Post. A visitation was held Sunday, Nov. 4 at the Atkinson Chapel of Vandemore Funeral Homes. Memorials may be directed to the Gordon Blackert Memorial Fund.

Gordon F. Blackert, 86, of Geneseo, died Friday, Nov. 2, 2012, at Hammond-Henry Hospital, Geneseo. Funeral services celebrating his life were held Monday, Nov. 5 at Zion United Methodist Church, Hooppole. The Rev. Terry Lancaster officiated. Burial was in Hooppole Cemetery where military honors were accorded by the Hooppole American Legion Post. A visitation was held Sunday, Nov. 4 at the Atkinson Chapel of Vandemore Funeral Homes. Memorials may be directed to the Gordon Blackert Memorial Fund.

He was born on Jan. 24, 1926, in rural Prophetstown, the son of John Henry and Florence (Fehlman) Blackert. He was a graduate of Prophetstown High School and proudly served his country in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He married Darlene Anderson in 1946. She died in 1999. He married Sandra Heller on Dec. 30, 2000, in Hooppole. He was a lifetime farmer in rural Hooppole. He was a member of the Zion United Methodist Church, Hooppole and the American Legion Post in Hooppole. He served on the Prophetstown School Board for more than 20 years and was the Yorktown Township Tax Assessor for many years. He enjoyed golfing and reading, but his true passion was farming.

Survivors include his wife, Sandra; two sons and spouses, Kent and Lynn Blackert of Prophetstown and Kevin and Kim Blackert of Orion; two daughters and spouse, Candice and Virgil Hairgrove of Morton and Chris Blackert of Davenport, Iowa; eight grandchildren; four great grandchildren; four step-children and spouses, Lynn and Jim Bos, Jim and Kathy Heller, John and Judi Heller and Tom and Ann Heller; 10 step-grandchildren and 10 step-great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Darlene; and two sisters, Lois and June.